Hanley Wood Exhibitions is gearing up for the launch of The International Surface Event East (TISE East), with a renewed focus on providing educational offerings and networking opportunities designed for floor covering, stone and tile industry professionals. TISE East, which encompasses three shows—Surfaces, StonExpo/Marmomacc Americas and TileExpo, will be held Oct. 19 to 22 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Fla.
According to show officials, the education program has been developed with an emphasis on new “active-learning” formats, proven to be most effective and engaging for adult learners. Over the course of four days, attendees will have the chance to experience over 50 top-notch educational sessions, engage in live demos, discover new products and trends during Show Floor Walk & Talks, attend off-site tours, gain industry-recognized certifications and share insight with colleagues during a variety of networking events held each day.
The education program will be offered Sunday, Oct. 19 through Wednesday, Oct. 22 and includes sessions targeted to specific audience segments—architect, builder, designer, emerging professional, care/maintenance/restoration, retailer/dealer, fabricator, installer and distributor. A large number of sessions qualify for continuing education credits through AIA, AIBD, IDCEC (ASID, IDC, IIDA) and IICRC.
Most sessions are offered before the exhibit hall opens to allow both exhibitors and attendees the chance to take advantage of education. Attendees who wish to continue the discussion and follow-up with a session speaker, will be able to sign-up for “Office Hours” for one-on-one coaching and mentoring with presenters.
“We have an impressive line-up of presenters who have enthusiastically embraced the idea of interacting on a more personal level with attendees,” said Michele Nebel Peake, conference manager for TISE East. “We are excited to offer this value-add that will undoubtedly enhance the overall experience for participants."
Highlights of education offered at TISE East include:
Live Demos
Up-close and personal demonstrations on the show floor will allow attendees to interact directly with industry peers, ask questions, understand actual processes and learn new techniques. Complimentary on-floor education and demos can be found in the LIVE Demos area, The CAGE, Cleaning & Restoration Pavilion and the Social Learning Lab, where attendees are encouraged to “BYOD”—Bring Your Own Device.
Walk & Talk Sessions
Walk & Talk Sessions incorporate tours of the show floor, utilizing the exhibit hall as an extended classroom environment. Attendees gain perspective from industry peers and share ideas with one another in small groups. The Walk & Talk Sessions will feature three different areas of focus: Equipment & Tooling, Luxury Trendspotting Floor Covering and In Our Green Shoes: An Eco-Agenda.
Workshops
Inspire Your Customers with Fashion-Led Visual Merchandising
Monday, Oct. 20, Part 1: 9:45 a.m.–11 a.m.; Part 2: 12 p.m.–3 p.m. Cost: $99
Phil Pond and Victoria Redshaw, with U.K trend forecasting firm Scarlet Opus, present this two-part, hands-on workshop that explores the connection between interior trends, consumers and merchandising – and how to capitalize on all three to increase sales. Presented with three specific interior trends for spring/summer 2015 relevant to both hard and soft flooring, as well as wall surfaces, participants will gain an understanding of visual merchandising trends and how to incorporate them into store design and displays. After critiquing examples of window displays, participants will have the opportunity to put their new knowledge to practical use, dividing into small groups and creating live window displays on the show floor. Sponsored by Floor Focus and Floor Daily.
Stone Fabricators Alliance MegaWorkshop: Maximizing Margins
Monday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Cost: Free, RSVP required
Calling all fabricators! This four-hour workshop focuses on how to maximize margins and increase profits, straight from experienced business owners. Topics include branding, production efficiency, business planning, the buying experience, diversifying, and profit.
The Experience Retailer Symposium- Get It Right!
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 8 a.m.–11 a.m.
Cost: $109, On-site $129
Presented by Larry Cooper, Textile Consultants and Lewis Migliore, LGM and Associates, this retailer symposium will cover a lot of ground for “getting it right”— from reviewing new products including wood, LVT and carpet (polyester and soft fibers) to working with your company to develop client selling skills. Cooper and Migliore will also review the new inspector standards and work to cut through the made up stuff in inspections. Finally, they will cover hiring your own inspector to “get it right”. The program will also include case studies and hands- on demonstrations. Sponsored by ICS Cleaning Specialist.
Off-site Tour
A&D Hospitality Tour: South Beach Sublime
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 11 a.m – 4:15 p.m.
Cost: $100, On-site $125 (includes lunch)
Led by Drew Limsky, Modern Luxury Interiors’ editor-in-chief, attendees will get a behind-the-design tour of two of the hippest properties on Collins Avenue. Designed by Philippe Starck, SLS Hotel South Beach imparts a “dream world” theme, blending Latin, Asian, contemporary and art deco influences with captivating precision. The James Royal Palm Hotel, designed by Lauren Rottet, is a modern tribute to the original Royal Palm Hotel history. A redesigned 1930s Art Deco property with a retro feel, the design kept intact many signature elements including the compass rose on the terrazzo lobby floor, the green glass reception desk and the porthole windows in the lobby lounge. Attendees will enjoy lunch at one of South Beach’s hottest spots – the Florida Cookery at The James Royal Palm. Sponsored by Floor Focus and Floor Daily.
Networking Lunch
140 Under 40 Networking Luncheon
Monday, Oct. 20, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Cost: $25, On-site $30 I Package: $85, On-site: $95
We’ve gathered some of the industry’s most influential insiders to share their perspectives on what it takes to be successful in today’s competitive environment. A chance to interact with titans of the floor covering, stone and tile industries exclusively for emerging professionals under 40 years of age.
Certifications
ICRI Concrete Slab Moisture Testing Certification Program
Educational Session Monday, Oct. 20, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Cost: $200 Written Examination Monday, Oct. 20, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $260 Attendees must register for the Educational Session in order to register for the Written Examination. Performance Examination Monday, Oct. 20, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Cost: $440
One-hour performance examinations are available to qualified applicants during the following time period. Attendees must register for the Educational Session and the Written Examination in order to be eligible to register for the Performance Examination.
The purpose of this certification program is to help improve the performance of concrete slab moisture testing to result in more consistent, accurate and reliable results that will help flooring manufacturers, architects, engineers and contractors make better decisions as to when a concrete floor is ready for a floor covering installation.
Marble Institute of America Sponsored Education
Women in Stone Connection Conference*
Sunday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m. –6: p.m.
Networking Reception: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Cost: $99 (MIA Member), $149 (Non-Member) The most important part of business, no matter what sector of the industry you are in, is connecting with people. This conference will discuss the process of building relationships with customers, colleagues, and co-workers. Each item on the agenda will focus on the opportunities and challenges women in the stone industry face in the workplace. *For registration for this session only, visit marble-institute.com.
Stone Industry Town Hall Meeting
Monday, Oct. 20, 9:45 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Cost: Free, RSVP required
Panelists: Dan Rea, Coldspring Granite; James Hieb, Marble Institute of America; Tobias Morrison, Metrostudy; Tony Malisani, Malisani.
Attendees will have the opportunity to let their voice be heard and learn first-hand how industry leaders and peers are addressing matters ranging from government regulation, competing product challenges and forecasting market growth.
Sustainable Natural Stone – An Introduction to NSC 373
Tuesday, Oct. 21, 9:45 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Cost: Free, RSVP required
Joshua Levinson with Artistic Tile Wholesale presents an informative session on NSC 373, the Natural Stone Council’s Standard for the Sustainable Production of Natural Dimension Stone, recently introduced to the market. Attendees will gain an understanding of the sustainable production and benefits of natural stone and how to differentiate and apply these practices.
Navigating an Onsite Safety Consultation to Meet OSHA Requirements
Wednesday, Oct. 22, 9:45 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Cost: Free, RSVP required
Panelists: Jonathan Mitnick, CCS Stone; Jim Nikolopoulos, Walker Zanger; David Castellucci, Kenneth Castellucci & Associates.
Moderated by GK Naquin with Stone Interiors, this lively panel discussion will explore the benefits of inviting OSHA into your facility from companies that took the challenge and succeeded. Attendees will walk away with a practical plan of how to adequately prepare for this important inspection.
Special Events
Launch Party By-The-Pool
Oct. 20, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Cost: $75, On-site $100
Attendees are invited to experience the Miami Beach nightlife at its best as we celebrate the launch of TISE East at this after-hours all industry event. Enjoy drinks, heavy hors d’oeuvres, music and networking on the grounds of the iconic Delano South Beach hotel. A portion of the proceeds from each ticket sold goes back to the industry to equally benefit the Floor Covering Industry Foundation (FCIF), MIA Natural Stone Scholarship Fund and the Natural Stone Council Sustainability Initiatives.
Exhibits
Sales remain strong for the first inaugural event and space is filling up fast. Show Management is projecting the exhibit hall will feature over 50,000 square feet of floor covering, stone and tile manufacturers and suppliers. A partial list of participating manufacturers include Bedrosians, Blick Industries, BMC Flooring, Breton SpA, Carpet Express, Dream Weaver, GranQuartz, International Wholesale Tile, Kane Carpet, Weavemasters, Lackmond Products Inc., Machine Tech Enterprises, MAPEI, Miracle Sealants Co., Northwood Industrial Machine, Park Industries, Regent Stone Products, Stanton Carpet, Max Woods USA and USG.
Registration
Education sessions require pre-registration. A complete schedule of the TISE East education program is available by visiting TISEeast.com. Early Registration rates have been extended through Sept. 5.
Housing
To take advantage of discounted hotel rates at TISE East which include complimentary shuttle service to and from the show, visit tphousing.com/tise.
